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Local weather

Update

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3rd Apr

Seawatching again dominated proceedings with a good variety (rather than numbers) passing throughout the day. The highlights were a Garganey, 189 Shovelers, two Gadwall, eight Pintail, 12 Teal, a Pochard, three Eider, a Velvet Scoter, 761 Common Scoters, five Red-breasted Mergansers, five Avocets, five Common Terns, 142 Sandwich Terns, 11 Little Gulls, a Great Skua, two Black-throated Divers and a Great Northern Diver. It was quiet on the land with a Sand Martin, 11 Chiffchaffs, three Blackcaps and a Rock Pipit being the only migrants of note.

Twelve Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.

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2nd Apr

A strong, biting NW wind brought a surprisingly good seawatch with dabbling ducks including our fourth best-ever spring total of 619 Shovelers. Other ducks included four Gadwall, four Wigeon, 14 Pintail, 41 Teal, a Velvet Scoter, 418 Common Scoters and three Red-breasted Mergansers. A Shag was the best of the rest along with four Grey Plovers, the first Common Tern of the spring, 90 Sandwich Terns, two Mediterranean Gulls, an Arctic Skua and a Black-throated Diver. Two Swallows and four Chiffchaffs were seen on the land.

Black-throated Diver Gavia arctica   Dungeness   2nd April 2025   (Jacob Spinks)

Five Porpoise and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore. 

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1st Apr

The highlight of the days seawatching was a surprisingly high total of 28 Garganeys along with 69 Shovelers, nine Pintail, 43 Teal, an Eider, three Velvet Scoters west, 481 Common Scoters and 23 Red-breasted Mergansers, 12 Avocets, ten Little Gulls and 30 Sandwich Terns.

Eleven Porpoise were feeding offshore.

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31st Mar

A very quiet morning on the produced just one Willow Warbler, five Chiffchaffs and a Fieldfare while the sea brought just 55 Common Scoters, two Red-breasted Mergansers and 12 Sandwich Terns of interest. 

Six Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.

A Red Chestnut and two Small Quakers were trapped overnight.

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30th Mar

There was a small arrival of migrants on the land with 12 Willow Warblers, six Chiffchaffs, three Blackcaps, three Black Redstarts, a Firecrest and three Wheatears. A four-hour seawatch this morning produced 215 Brent Geese, six Shovelers, 22 Velvet Scoters, 446 Common Scoters and five Sandwich Terns of note.

Six Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore and a Hedgehog was feeding in the Observatory garden again.

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29th Mar

The first two Willow Warblers of the year were of note on the land along with 139 Wood Pigeons, 20 Jackdaws, five Chiffchaffs, a Blackcap and 20 Redwing. The sea was very quiet with just four Shovelers, two Teal and eight Sandwich Terns of any interest.

Four Porpoise and a Grey Seal were seen offshore.

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28th Mar

A mainly bright and sunny morning with a fresh SW breeze. The morning seawatch produced 599 Brent Geese, 211 Common Scoters, six Red-breasted Mergansers, 61 Sandwich Terns, 155 Kittiwakes, eight Mediterranean Gulls, an Arctic Skua, 48 Red-throated Divers and also two Little Egrets which flew west of note. Nine Chiffchaffs, a Blackcap, three Black Redstarts and a Wheatear were the only birds of note on the land.

Five Porpoises were seen offshore.

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27th Mar

Another foggy start to the day and not a great deal to be seen. The highlights on the land were a Jack Snipe, 18 Chiffchaffs, 28 Redwings, six Song Thrushes, eight Black Redstarts and six Wheatears.


An atmospheric start to the day 

The Hedgehog was feeding in the garden again this evening and ten Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.


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26th Mar

A Red Kite, a Buzzard and a Swallow flew over the area and grounded migrants included 100 Redwings and seven Black Redstarts.

Over seven hours of seawatching produced ten Shovelers, two Gadwall, 262 Wigeon, 22 Teal, two Velvet Scoters, a flock of five Black-necked Grebes, nine Mediterranean Gulls and an Arctic Skua. 

The mammal highlight was a Hedgehog in the Observatory garden this evening. Fifteen Porpoise and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.

Hedgehog   Erinaceus europeaus   Dungeness   26th March 2025

The Hoopoe was seen again at Denge Quarry but was very elusive.

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25th Mar

A Red Kite, a Short-eared Owl, a Wood Lark, two Swallows, eight Chiffchaffs, two Fieldfares, 800 Redwings, 12 Song Thrushes, ten Black Redstarts, a party of six White Wagtails, a Brambling, another Hawfinch, a Redpoll and three Siskins.

Six Porpoise were feeding offshore and a Brown Hare was seen on the land.

Elsewhere, a Hoopoe was found at Denge Quarry, Lydd-on-sea.

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